DOCUMENT RESUME EF 005 898 ED 452 676 Brooks, Duwayne; Williams, Robert; Pendleton, Sue AUTHOR Guide to School Site Analysis and Development: 2000 Edition. TITLE California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento. Div. of INSTITUTION School Facilities Planning. ISBN-0-8011-1479-9 ISBN 2000-00-00 PUB DATE NOTE 57p School Facilities Planning Division, California Department AVAILABLE FROM of Education, P.O. Box 944272, Sacramento, CA 94244-2720. For full text: http://www.cde.ca.gov/facilities/sfpdpublications.htm. Descriptive (141) Reports PUB TYPE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE *Class Size; Elementary Secondary Education; *Equal DESCRIPTORS Facilities; *Guidelines; Master Plans; *Public Schools; *Site Analysis; Site Development *California IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT This document updates California's 1966 guidelines for school district determination of land size needs to support their education programs. The guide reflects the changes in educational programs that have affected school site usage and size requirements and includes recommended changes in site acreage for very large schools; equal access for female athletes; classroom size and class size reductions; the need for a master plan of the site and functional link between educational specifications and site size; and site requirements for county community schools, community day schools, and continuation high schools. Also proVided are numerous dimensional figures for athletic fields and courts. The document's final section presents procedures for developing a site plan. Appendices contain a comparison of school site sizes for 1966 and 2000; and lists site requirements for small schools and elementary through high school facilities, county community schools, community day schools, and continuation high schools. (GR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ft f N kr) a I fr r / -, , IL; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND Office of Educational Research and Improvement DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS E UCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization Curt Robinson originating it. O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. CAI_IFORNIA DEPARINFNT OF EDUCATION SacTamont,0, 2000 Available at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/facilities/sfpdpublications.htm 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE Guide to School Site Analysis and Development 2000 Edition Developed in 1999 in compliance with the Administrative Procedures Act Prepared by School Facilities Planning Division California Department of Education 3 ) Publishing Information was prepared by the Guide to School Site Analysis and Development School Facilities Planning Division, California Department of Education, and was published by the Department, 721 Capitol Mall, Sacramento, California (mailing address: P.O. Box 944272, Sacramento, CA 94244- 2720). It was distributed under the provisions of the Library Distribution Section 11096. Act and Government Code 0 2000 by the California Department of Education All rights reserved ISBN 0-8011-1479-9 Ordering Information Copies of this publication are available free of charge from the School Facilities Planning Division < http: / /www.cde.ca.gov /facilities/ Prepared for publication sfpdpublications.htm>. by CSEA members. III Contents Page Preface iv Introduction v Section 1. Background Historical Perspective 1 Rule-of-Thumb Approach 3 Functional Approach 3 4 Need for Increases in Recommended Site Size Section 2. School Site Requirements The Site Master Plan and Educational Specifications 6 Development of the Site Master Plan 8 How to Use the Tables and Layouts 15 Section 3. Layouts of Facilities 18 Section 4. Procedures for Developing a Site Plan 39 Appendix. Site Requirements for Very Large Schools 43 List of Tables Comparison of School Site Sizes, 1966 and 2000 vii 1. Site Requirements for Small Schools 19 2. 20 Site Requirements for Elementary Grades 3. 22 Site Requirements for Grades Six Through Eight 4. Site Requirements for Grades Six Through Nine 23 5. 24 Site Requirements for Grades Nine Through Twelve 6. Site Requirements for County Community Schools, 7. Community Day Schools, and Continuation High Schools 25 List of Figures 26 Basic Unit A 1. 27 Field Areas for Grades 1, 2, and 3 2. 28 Basic Unit B 3. 29 Hardcourt Areas for Grades 1, 2, and 3 4. 30 Basic Unit D 5. 30 Basic Unit E 6. Field Areas for Grades 4, 5, and 6 31 7. 32 One-Half Unit F 8. 32 Basic Unit F 9. 33 10. Hardcourt Areas for Grades 4, 5, and 6 34 11. Field and Hardcourt Areas for Grades 7 Through 12 12. Basic Unit I 35 35 13. Basic Unit J 36 Field and Hardcourt Areas for Grades 7 Through 12 14. 15. Basic Unit M 37 37 16. Basic Unit N Field and Hardcourt Areas for Grades 7 Through 12 38 17. Iv Preface The California Department of Education establishes standards for school sites pursuant to Education Code Section 17251 and adopts school site regulations, which are contained in the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, commencing with Section 14001. Site size standards were updated in 1999-2000 to reflect significant changes in education, such as class size reduction in kindergarten through grade three, implementation of the (federal) Education Amend- ments of 1977, Title IX (gender equity), parental and community involvement, and technology. In addition to the educational reforms noted above, the expanded use of buildings and grounds for community use and agency joint use and legislative changes in the site-selection process regarding environmental, toxic, and other student and staff safety issues made it necessary to update the Guide to School Site Analysis and Development. Local school districts have expressed appreciation for the guide as they carry out their responsibility to provide safe and educationally appropriate facilities for their children and communities. This document was prepared by Duwayne Brooks, Director, School Facilities Planning Division; Robert Williams, principal writer; Sue Pendleton, Consultant; and other staff of the division. SUSAN LANGE Deputy Superintendent Finance, Technology, and Administration Branch Introduction This edition of the Guide to School Site Analysis and Development assists school districts in determining the amount of land needed to support their educational programs in accord with their stated goals and in accord with recommendations of the California Department of Educa- tion. This edition also updates the guidelines, reflecting the changes in educational programs that have affected school site usage and size requirements. The study conducted by the original committee was so thorough that the methodology for determining acreage remained much the same as that used in the 1966 edition. Types of Changes Changes in recommended site acreage are primarily the result of legislation regarding class size reduction (CSR) and gender equity (Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX) issues that have a direct impact on site size. Title IX ensures equal access for female athletes; therefore, the acreage requirements have been increased for physical education in grades nine through twelve to include additional softball/ soccer fields. Consequently, the playfield area increases from 1.4 acres to 3.4 acres, depending on the enrollment and the grade level. The area for buildings and grounds has been increased to conform to past in- creases in the allowable building area that were never reflected in the previous edition of this guide; the area for buildings and grounds and the area for parking and roads have also been increased to accommodate the increased number of classrooms and teachers due to CSR. Classroom Size and Class Size Reduction Although new legislation requires class size to be reduced, the total number of pupils in a given school remains the same; therefore, more classrooms are required. For example, an elementary school with 300 pupils in grades one through three with class sizes of 30 would require ten classrooms for those grades; whereas class sizes of 25 would require 12 classrooms, and class sizes of 20 would require 15 classrooms. A reduction in the number of pupils per classroom does not equal a reduc- tion in the size of the classroom itself. For sound educational reasons the vi Department of Education maintains its policy of recommending 960 square feet for a standard classroom and 1,350 square feet for a kinder- garten room. In a memorandum to school district and county superintendents dated May 1998, the School Facilities Planning Division made the following statement regarding classroom size: ... The initial implementation of CSR may have required districts to use classrooms less than the standard 960 square feet (sf); however, the California Department of Education encourages districts to make every effort to maintain the physical size of elementary classrooms at 960 sf and 1,350 sf for kindergarten. In addition, districts should carefully consider support facilities and site size in implementing CSR. The California Department of Education believes that a classroom of 960 square feet best supports CSR. If the classroom is too small, the full educational value of the lower class size may not be realized. A class- room of less than 960 square feet may not provide sufficient space for pullout programs, small-group work, or computer stations. Adequate area must be provided for furniture and technology, audiovisual equipment, student work areas, and storage. Additionally, classrooms must be large enough to allow movement and circulation, exiting, and access by students with disabilities. In addition to maintaining the minimum 960-square-footage require- ment for instructional reasons, districts should also consider maintaining 960-square-foot classrooms to retain flexibility in scheduling and re- assigning classes between the first through third grades and the higher grades in the future. A small classroom (e.g., one that is 600 square feet) does not allow the classroom to be used for 30 students in grades four through six if the needs change at the school site. Smaller classrooms, although intended to be temporary, have a way of becoming permanent. California is already near the bottom of the list of states ranked according to the square footage of building space allowed per pupil. Building Area per Pupil Although the Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 does not prescribe allowable building area, the California Department of Educa- tion recommends that the size of schools be calculated at 59 square feet (the minimum) per pupil for kindergarten through grade six; at 80 square feet (the minimum) per pupil for grades seven and eight; and at an average of 92 square feet (the minimum) per pupil for grades nine through twelve, based on the former Lease-Purchase program. 8 vii Comparison of the 1966 and Current Editions Table 1 shows a comparison of school site size recommendations between the time of the 1966 edition and the time of this edition of the guide.The rationale and methodology for calculating these changes are presented in this guide. Site Requirements for Very Large Schools Another difference between the 1966 edition and the current edition relates to acreage requirements for very large schools (see the appendix). Acreage requirements for schools of optimal size, as defined by the California Department of Education, are included in the guide. Although the Department does not recommend exceedingly large schools, some districts may desire to build schools that exceed the requirements de- tailed in Tables 3 through 6. Therefore, tables of acreage requirements for expanded sites have been provided in the appendix. Another use for Table 1 Comparison of School Site Sizes, 1966 and 2000 With Class Size Reduction, K-3 Without Class Size Reduction Percent Percent Acres according Acres according Acres according Percent increase over the to the current increase over the to the current to the 1966 School increase current edition 1966 edition edition edition edition enrollment 4 9.6 9.2 450 9.0 2 6 13.8 750 12.7 13.1 5 8 3 4 17.6 1,200 16.4 15.8 7 11 Acres according to the Acres according to the Percent increase current edition 1966 edition School enrollment CO 0 17.4 LL 17.4 600 co 0.5 20.9 20.8 900 23.1 22.5 1,200 3 Acres according to the Acres according to the Percent increase current edition 1966 edition School enrollment 33.5 7 31.3 1,200 44.5 12 39.7 1,800 52.7 46.5 2,400 13 viii the expanded site tables is to determine whether a site is overcrowded and may qualify for additional grants under California Code of Regula- tions, Title 2, sections 1859.73 and 1859.74.1, adopted pursuant to the Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998. Other Changes Additional changes in this edition include a discussion of the need for a master plan of the site and the functional link between educational specifications and site size. Land scarcity, urban location, excessive cost, and other site size limitations must be recognized; a discussion follows on how these limitations can be managed through good master planning and thorough educational specifications. Unusual and exceptional site conditions are defined, and a description of what constitutes usable acres has been added. Finally, a new table (Table 7) has been added that provides the site requirements for county community schools, community day schools, and continuation high schools. Use of Tables in Transition The California Department of Education calculates the acreage required when the Field Site Review (SFPD Form 4.0) is submitted. School districts that selected sites during the revision period of the guide may find differences in site acreage requirements between the 1966 edition and this edition. If differences are found, the correct acreage will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Final site approval letters issued on or after November 30, 2000 (the date that Title 5 regulations became effective) will use acreage standards set forth in the 2000 edition.